ל×-עדח GOD's COURT WHEREIN The DIGNITY and DUTY OF Iudges and Magistrates Is shew'd in a SERMON Preached at the ASSISES Held at KINGSTON upon THAMES July 26. 1683. By THOMAS WILLIS D. D. Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY LONDON Printed by B.W. for Ralph Smith at the Sign of the Bible in the Piazza under the Royal Exchange in Cornhill MDCLXXXIII To the Worshipful ANTHONY RAWLINS Esq High Sheriff of the County OF SURREY Honoured SIR THIS World a most stately Structure was made to be a Temple to the Eternal Divinitie For Religion which is the Holy Worship of GOD is the great End of the Life and Being of man for whom this World was made Man is both the World's Oratour and GOD's Priest He in the behalf of all the Creatures is to speak the Praises of GOD and offering them up as a Spiritual Sacrifice at GOD's Altar to implore His Aid and Blessing upon all his Undertakings And for all the Good he receives and enjoys he is devoutly to give the Glory to GOD. All Civil Administrations and secular Affairs are sanctify'd by Religion The Law of Religion is written in the Nature of man and its Obligations inforc'd by Reason The Heathens in all great Affairs were wont to make humble Addresses to the supposed Divinities they adored The greatest Persons among them before they undertook any Matter of Weight or Importance would have Recourse to some Temple of the Gods to ask Counsel to offer up their Vows and to implore their Aid for a good Success And when they were guided by Oracles they proceeded with as much Courage and Confidence as if they expected to be prosper'd by Miracles in the Pursuit of their Designs And when they succeeded in their great Attempts and attain'd their End they honour'd their Gods as the Authors of their happiness by Religious Acknowledgments and rich Oblations How much more does it become Christians to whom the only true GOD hath not only reveal'd Himself in the Greatness of His Power and Glories of his Grace but also by a firm Covenant obliged Himself to be their GOD and to do them Good in all their Undertakings to make their Addresses to Him for Direction Assistance and good Success How well does it become Judges and Magistrates who have so great a Power and Trust both as to the Laws and the Lives of men when they enter upon a Work of so great Importance as the Peace and Welfare of the King and People to go to meet GOD in His House who as Supreme Lord and Judge presides in their Court 'T is by Authority derived from GOD they sit to judge men and 't is by the Light of His Wisdom and Influence of his Grace that they err not in Judgment When a Judge comes out of the Church into the Court he appears with more Majesty as a God coming out of Heaven to administer Justice to men on Earth When a Judge has first hearkened to the Voice of GOD declaring His Will to him in his Word he comes with more Authority-to execute his Office and ought to be attended with more Regard as a Person who comes with Instructions from the King and Injunctions from GOD. And this is agreeable to what the Gospel requires that what ever a man does he should do it in the Name of Christ and for the Glory of GOD. Now Sir the Solemnity of Religion preparatory to the Administration of Justice was by your Appointment and Command committed to my Care The following Discourse prepar'd for that Purpose tho' somewhat contracted in the Delivery I have here in Obedience to your Command presented to you entire hoping that at least it may serve for a Memoriall of that Honour which His Majesty our most Gracious Sovereign hath been pleased to confer upon you in appointing you in so perillous a Time to be the Guardian of Publick Justice and in accounting you a fit Person to be intrusted with the armed Power of the whole Countie for the Defence and Safety both of the King and his People 'T is a mighty Trust in a Day of so great Danger wherein wicked men have made a bloudy Conspiracy against the Life of our Sovereign which ought to be Ten Thousand times dearer to every one of us than our own Lives 2 Sam. 18.3 But that Almighty GOD in whose Hand are the Lives of Kings will graciously be pleased long to preserve the precious Life of our present Gracious Sovereign from all the Machinations of his wicked Enemies and at last after a long and happy Reign on Earth crown him with eternal Glory in Heaven is I am well assured the hearty Desire and Prayer of all his Loyall Subjects and amongst them of Worthy Sir Your most humble Servant Tho. Willis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 GOD's COURE AN ASSISE-SERMON SHEWING The DIGNITY and DUTY OF Judges and Magistrates PSAL. LXXXII i. GOD standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty He judgeth among the Gods THE Actions of men eminent in Place and Power are of much greater Importance than what 's done by inferiour Persons The Greater Stars give the clearer Light and have the stronger Influence The Good or Hurt of many the Welfare or Infelicity of Thousands oft depends upon the Actions of some few Great men Their more notable Miscarriages oft prove Epidemicall Mischiefs whereas by their wise Management of great Affairs men enjoy much Tranquillity with Abundance of the Blessings of Peace Now nothing does more conduce to engage such Persons to a serious Care in the menage of important Matters than a lively Sense of the Divine Presence For as mean men are mightily over-aw'd by the Presence of a King and so easily restrain'd from an indecent Rudeness and induc't to a civil Behaviour and good Government of themselves so must Great men in all Reason be powerfully influenc't by the Presence of the most high God who is infinitely more above them in Wisdom Greatness Power than the Greatest King above the meanest men Nothing therefore can be more proper and powerful to induce Judges and Magistrates to a due Execution of their Office when they are assembled in a Court of Justice than a clear Apprehension a firm Persuasion and a full Assurance that Almighty GOD the Great Judge of the World is present with them as Judge and King And nothing is more certain For saith the Word of Truth God standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty He judgeth among the Gods Now who are the Mighty the Gods here mention'd but Judges and Magistrates What is this Congregation of the Mighty but a Court of Justice And who is this Glorious Person who stands in the Court and superintends in Judgment 'T is GOD Himself GOD standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty He judgeth among the Gods Here then we have a fair Prospect into a large Field of Discourse Let 's here make a little Stand and take a distinct View of the more remarkable Things which present themselves to our Eye
to be a constant Circulation of Honour which as it Originally comes from GOD so should it ultimately return to Him Rev. 22.13 who is the First and the Last the Beginning and the Ending the first Cause and last End of all things All the Streams of Excellency and Honour which flow from Him as their first Fountain and Originall should return to Him and empty themselves into the immense Ocean of His Glory Now as GOD by giving these Names to Judges and Magistrates puts a Lustre upon their Persons and incircles them with a Glory to secure them from Contempt so He mightily obliges them hereby to such a Discharge of their Duty as that there may be a visible Correspondency in their Actions to the Excellency of their Titles and the Lustre and Glory of these Great Names may shine forth in the Execution of their Office Those who are stiled Gods should excell in those Virtues which are the lively Images of the Divine Perfections even of those Excellencies which are the Glories of God as the Supreme Lord and Judge of the World Such are Wisdom Justice Mercy Fortitude and Truth These are as the bright Raies of the Sun wherein the eternal Divinity shines forth with an amiable Lustre in the Government of the World And the Gods on Earth should array themselves with these Beams and Beauties and that they may manifest themselves to be what they are call'd they should so demean themselves that these Virtues and Excellencies may appear in their Administrations Wisdom is a Virtue which should never be wanting in Judges and Magistrates Eccles 8.1 'T was the Wisdom of Solomon which made his Face to shine with so bright a Lustre when he sate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glittering in his Glory and Majesty upon the Tribunal In his clear Decision of the doubtful Case betwixt the two Harlots 1 King 3.28 both pleading for one living Child all the World admir'd his Wisdom This was an early Glory of his Government which render'd him truly Great in the Eyes of his Subjects Wisdom in a King or a Judge is an Angelicall Excellency a Ray of Divinity So it was said of David As an Angel of GOD so is my Lord the King 2 Sam. 14.19 to discern good and bad This discerning Faculty is a necessary Virtue in a Judge or Magistrate without which he cannot rightly administer Justice and Judgment * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid Pelus l. 3 Ep. 9. He must have a piercing Eye to look through the Disguises wherewith guilty men are wont to hide the Truth and palliate their Crimes Truth is oft hudled up in Darkness and hidden from the Eyes of men A strict Scrutiny is then necessary to a right Judgment This was the Practice of Patient Job in his Prosperous State Job 29.16 The Cause which I knew not I searched out Politicall Wisdom which stands in the Knowledge of Laws and an Ability to apply that Knowledge to Practice in all emergent Cases and to make a right Judgment of Things in various Circumstances is a Virtue without which it is not imaginable the Office of a Judge or Magistrate should be rightly executed For as Justice is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato the prop of Cities the strength of Societies the Support of Kingdoms so Wisdom is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orpheus the Eye of Justice Without this Justice is blind and that Sword oft wounds the Innocent which should Defend them and slay the Guilty But Justice thus guided by Wisdom is an essential Excellency of a Good Ruler a God like Judge For He that ruleth over men must be just 2 Sam. 23.3 ruling in the Fear of GOD. And 't is impartiall Justice which Moses the Great Law giver requires in Judges in the Charge which he gave them Deut. 1.16 17. saying Hear the Causes between your Brethren and judge righteously between every man and his Brother and the Stranger that is with him Ye shall not respect Persons in Judgment but ye shall hear the small as well as the Great ye shall not be afraid of the Face of man for the Judgment is GOD's For when Judges proceed according to the Divine Law which is the most exact Rule of Justice the Sentence they pronounce either when they absolve the Innocent or condemn the Guilty is none other than that which GOD Himself the Supreme Judge hath already pronounc't in his Law A Judge therefore making the Divine Law his Rule in Judgment must not acquit the Guilty nor condemn the Righteous Prov. 17.15 For he that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are an Abomination to the LORD And he that either for Fear or Favour acquits a Great Offendour shall not only be hated of God but also abhorr'd of men For Prov. 24.23 24. He that saith to the Wicked Thou art Righteous him shall the people curse Nations shall abhor him He that against the Light of his own Conscience either acquits the Guilty or condemns the Innocent draws a woful Guilt upon his own Soul the Guilt of the Crime committed or the Bloud shed and GOD will require it at his Hand Justice is the Glory of the King and therefore should be the Care of the Judge When Sisamnes Herod l. 5. one of the chiefest of the Persian Judges had given an unjust Judgment Cambyses the King caused him to be flay'd alive and his Skin as a bloudy Trophee of the Triumph of Justice over an unjust Judge to be hung up over the Judgment-Seat for a Warning to all others Judges stand in the stead of GOD and therefore they should depose all Humane Respects and as Divine Persons do what may be rationally conceiv'd GOD Himself who is essentially Just in the like Case would do A Judge should so act in all Administrations as if he was nothing else but Justice incarnate So exactly impartially Just should Judges be as if they were what St. Acts 14.11 Paul and Barnabas were thought to be Gods come down from Heaven in the Likeness of men And therefore they must be such whose Eyes are not dazled with the Lustre of Gold nor Hands open'd to receive Gifts For how absurd is it that as it is in the ancient Proverb * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 16.18 19 20. The Hare should draw the Lyon with a golden Snare Judges and Officers saies Moses shalt thou make thee in all thy Gates which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee throughout all thy Tribes and they shall judge the People with just Judgment Thou shalt not wrest Judgment thou shalt not respect Persons neither take a Gift for a Gift doth blind the Eyes of the Wise and pervert the Words of the Righteous * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justice Justice or that which is altogether just shalt thou follow It should be as easy to turn the Sun from his Course as to divert a Judge from the
in Matters of Fact which shall be lay'd before them are mightily concern'd to take great Heed to themselves that they do faithfully and sincerely acquit themselves in the Answer and Discharge of so sacred and solemn an Obligation Let them remember that the Eye of GOD who discerns the Secrets of all Hearts is upon them Let them remember that That GOD by whose Name they swear in whose Presence they stand and who hears the Words they speak before the Judge Deut. 32. is a GOD of TRVTH who infinitely hates and abhors Lying Prov. 12. Lying Lips saith the Wise man are an Abomination to the LORD but they that deal truly are His Delight Yea Prov. 6. a Lying Tongue is not less hateful to GOD than Hands that shed innocent Bloud both are an Abomination to the LORD The Telling of a Lye is so great a Sin in the Account of GOD that He hath punisht it in some as Ananias and Sapphira with present Death and hath plainly declar'd Acts 5. 5 He will punish it hereafter with Hell fire Rev. 21.8 how much more horrid and abominable is a Perjury even in the Divine Presence With what Indignation did King Nebuchadnezzar charge the Magicians with a Crime of this kind Dan. 2.9 saying Ye have prepar'd lying and corrupt Words to speak before Me But how much greater a Crime is it for men to prepare lying and corrupt Words to speak before Almighty GOD Himself even then when they are bound by a solemn Oath to declare the Truth May not this justly kindle His wrathful Indignation to the utter Destruction of such impious men How great is the Mischief which by a lying Tongue may be done in a Court of Justice The Course of Justice may be obstructed and the Stream of Judgment by this means turn'd into a wrong Chanel By a false Witness a man may be overthrown in a just Cause to his utter Ruine By a Lye a man may be depriv'd of his Life Kin. 21.13 The innocent Naboth by the lying Tongues of two false Witnesses was at once depriv'd of his Life and Estate A lying Tongue is a bloudy Sword and the most unspotted Innocence is not a Shield strong enough to secure a man from its fatal Stroke By means of a lying Tongue the most Innocent may be found Guilty and the most Guilty may be pronounc'd Innocent But let those who shall be concern'd to declare and testify the Truth in those Matters which shall fall under the Cognizance of the Court remember and consider that tho' they may possibly by false Assertions or sundry Artifices and Disguises conceal the Truth from men and their Falshood may not be detected by the most discerning yet 't is utterly impossible they should deceive that GOD before whom they stand and tho' the Punishment of their Perjury be not inflicted by men they cannot possibly escape the Vengeance of Almighty GOD. He has establisht an unchangeable Law against this Sin which He once yea twice wrote with His own Finger with the rest of the Ten Commandments upon Tables of Stone The Law is this Exo. 20.7 Thou shalt not take the Name of the LORD thy GOD in vain for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His Name in vain Now he that violates a Sacred and solemn Oath administred to him in the Name of GOD does in a high Degree take the Name of GOD in vain How wofull is the State of this man For whether by his false Report or Testimony an Innocent man be pronounced Guilty or a Guilty man Innocent he becomes Guilty before GOD the Great Judge of all who by a Righteous Sentence will condemn him to the burning Flames For He hath said Rev. 21.8 He will not hold him guiltless he will not acquit him he will certainly condemn him and then most miserable must his State be for ever and ever Now what Folly is it for any man for the Prevention of a just Sentence upon a Guilty man by a plain Perjury to draw such a dreadful Guilt upon his own Soul And the Folly is yet greater and the Guilt more dreadful if an Innocent man by his false Report or Testimony be condemn'd to Death as Guilty For he is then at once Guilty of Perjury and Murder He at once contemns GOD and brings the Bloud of that man upon himself and so justly deserves no less than double Damnation Oh then remember all ye that may be concern'd that when ye come to take an Oath in a Court of Justice ye stand not only before the Judge but before GOD Himself who stands as King and Judge in that Assembly and will certainly avenge upon you the grievous Sin of Perjury if ye should any way be guilty of it Remember O man O woman whosoever thou art who shalt be call'd as a Witness of any Matter in the Court Remember I say that Charge which Almighty GOD hath given thee in that Law which He pronounc't with a Voice of Thunder from the midst of Flames of Fire in Mount Sinai saying Exo. 20.16 Thou shalt not bear false Witness against thy Neighbour The very words which GOD then spake are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not answer a lying Testimony concerning thy Neighbour that is Being interrogated by the Judge upon thy Oath thou shalt not in thy Answer give a false or lying Testimony for or against thy Neighbour This Oath among the Jews the Judge was wont to impose after this manner 1 Kin. 22.16 2 Chr. 18.15 Mat. 26.63 Lev. 5.1 I adjure thee by the living GOD that thou tell us the Truth in this Matter Hence it 's said in the Law If a Soul sin that is If a Crime be committed by any Person and one hear the Voice of Swearing that is of the Judge adjuring him and is a Witness whether he hath seen or known of it if he do not utter it then he shall bear his Iniquity that is He shall not only contract the Guilt of the Crime committed but also bear upon his Soul the Guilt of the Sin of Perjury and so incur the manifest Danger of eternal Damnation And therefore all ye that are concern'd as ye tender the Honour of Almighty GOD and the Salvation of your own Souls which you pledge in your Oath deal in all Things sincerely and truly speaking Psal 15.2 as becomes an Heir of Heaven the Truth in your Heart that Justice and Judgment may be rightly executed and you when you shall stand before the Tribunal of GOD may appear with Poldness and give up your Accounts with Joy For thereis a Great Day a coming when all the World shall be summon'd to appear before the Judgment-Seat of GOD. Rom. 14.10 Never was there so Great an Assembly as that and never shall there be any so great after it All the Kings Rulers and Judges of the Earth shall meet together at that Day yea then shall all
And lets in the first Place view those Great and Splendid Titles which are here given to Judges and Magistrates and consider the Import and Reason of them Then let 's cast our Eye upon the Court where the Persons adorn'd and dignify'd with these Titles are assembled and consider the Reason of their Convention and Association And lastly let 's take special Notice of that bright Glory that rests upon them which results from the Divine Presence among them and consider what Influence this should have upon their Actions and Attendants and especially those who have any particular Concern in the Court. The Titles here given to Judges and Magistrates are very illustrious they are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 E L and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ELOHIM the Mighty the Gods or the Mighty Gods Both these Titles are the Names of GOD even of the most High GOD by which He is most usually call'd in the Holy Scripture They both signify Might and Power with a special Reference to Justice and Judgment For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ELOHIM as the Hebrews observe is a Name of Judgment as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 JEHOVAH is a Name of Grace So it 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ELOHIM SHOPHET Psal 75.7 GOD is Judge He putteth down one and setteth up another And by this Name are Judges call'd in the Law of Moses For it is said For all manner of Trespass Exo. 22.9 whether it be for Ox for Ass for Sheep for Raiment or for any manner of lost Thing which another challengeth to be his the Cause of both Parties shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AD HAELOHIM before the Judges and whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LOHIM the Judges shall condemn he shall pay double unto his Neighbour And so likewise is the Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 EL given to GOD when He is spoken of as a just and impartial Judge Deut. 10.17 18. For the LORD your GOD saies Moses to Israel is GOD of Gods and LORD of Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HAEL HAGGADOL a Great GOD a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not Persons nor taketh Reward He doth execute the Judgment of the Fatherless and the Widow And therefore saith Bildad in Job 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doth EL Job 8.3 GOD pervert Judgment or doth the Almighty pervert Justice Strength and Power for Judgment then is the Import of these Names which are here given to Judges And therefore when GOD is represented as coming forth in his terrible Majesty with Power and great Glory to judge the whole World in Righteousness both these Names are given to Him For it 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 EL ELOHIM Psal 50 1-6 The Mighty GOD even the LORD hath spoken and called the Earth even from the rising of the Sun unto the going down thereof Out of Zion the Perfection of Beauty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 GOD even ELOHIM the Mighty GOD hath shined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our GOD even ELOHIM the Mighty Judge shall come and shall not keep Silence A Fire shall devour before Him and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him He shall call to the Heavens from above and to the Earth that He may judge His People Gather my Saints together unto me those who have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice And the Heavens shall declare his Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For GOD ELOHIM the Mighty GOD He is Judge or as we render it GOD is Judge Himself Thus we have seen the Import of the Names or Titles here given to Judges and Magistrates let 's now consider for what Reason they are given to them They are certainly given them Honoris Officii gratiâ to put an Honour upon them to discriminate them from others of an inferiour Rank and Order in the World and to oblige them to such an Execution of their Office as becomes them who are dignify'd with so great an Honour 'T is sure no small Honour to Judges and Magistrates that GOD hath intrusted them with the Balances of Justice arm'd them with his own glittering Sword and put into their Hands his Thunder and Lightening even the Terrours of the Law which may make them formidable to guilty men but this Honour receives a mighty Augmentation by this that he hath graciously been pleas'd to communicate to them His own Names which primarily and most properly pertain unto Himself even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 EL and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ELOHIM in that they are call'd the Mighty stiled Gods What greater Glory could GOD put upon men When GOD as a Token of his Favour chang'd the Names of Abram and Sarai as a Mark of Honour He added only to each of them one Letter of his own glorious Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 JEHOVAH calling him ABRAHAM and her SARAH Gen. 17.9.15 But behold here not a Letter of any Name of GOD but his very Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 EL GOD the Mighty GOD is here given to Judges and Magistrates Yea the very same Name which GOD upon the Account of His Power and Judgment assumes to Himself He here given unto them For it 's here said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ELOHIM GOD standeth in the Congregation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 EL the Mighty He judges among 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ELOHIM the Gods What more magnificent can be spoken of them And the Greatness of Him that speaks it makes the Glory greater to them If the King give a Title of Honour to a man it remains with him and puts a Lustre upon his Person If GOD Himself give a Title of Honour to a man it makes him truly honourable And tho' the King gives many Titles of Honour to his Subjects He reserves that of King to himself this is a Glory which he will not give to another But behold here GOD gives the Title of Gods to men In conferring of Honour the King makes not men Kings but GOD makes men Gods Such are Judges and Magistrates in the Sacred Style Psal 82.6 I have said Ye are Gods Such is the Honour of those Persons whom the King of Kings delights to Honour The Senate of Rome seem'd to Cineas Ambassadour of King Pyrrhus a Council House of Kings Plat. in Pyrrbus but a Court of Justice where the Mighty are assembled for Judgment is a Congregation of Gods Now GOD puts this Honour upon Judges and Magistrates because they are to represent his Person in the Execution of their Office and to procure them the greater Reverence and Veneration from men that the Majesty of Justice which is design'd to over-awe men to Obedience may not be obscur'd by the Contempt of the Persons who are authoriz'd for the Administration of it And when men give Honour to a Magistrate to a Judge as GOD's Representative they do in effect give Glory to GOD who hath given such Power and Authority to men And thus there is and ought
as to the Dignity which is put upon them and the Duty which is required of them Come we now to consider them in their Publick Appearance as assembled in a Court of Judcature for the Administration of Justice and Judgment This is here call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ADATH-EL GOD's Court or Council as a Court of Judicature may be fitly call'd because constituted by his Authority and held by his Appointment as the Author and Originall of all Order Power and Government 1 Cor. 14.33 Rom. 13.1 and because He is therein present as Supreme Lord and Judge For GOD standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty as we read it or in the Court of GOD that is according to the Idiom and Propriety of the Hebrew-Tongue in His own Court He judges among the Gods But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ADATH-EL is here rendred by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Synagogue the Assembly of the Gods which is of the same Import with our Version the Congregation of the Mighty Now these Mighty ones are the Judge or Judges with other Magistrates and Officers authoriz'd for the Administration and Execution of Justice and Judgment for the Conservation of the Publick Peace Now this Convention and Association of the Mighty of Judges and Magistrates for the Constitution of a Court of Justice is grounded upon great Reason For hereby the Administration of Justice is not only render'd more unexceptionable but also more powerful and effectually conducible to its proper End which is the Publick Peace the Peoples Good This will plainly appear if we consider that the great End of the Administration of Justice is the keeping of people within the Limits of those Laws which are the Rules of Government And Government is design'd for the Publick Good and Laws are made for the securing of the Persons and Proprieties of the People and especially of the King or Supreme Governour who is the Life of the Law and Soul of Government from whom that quickening Influence is derived which animates the Law otherwise a dead Letter into a living Power And so consequently the Safety and Happiness of all the People must necessarily depend upon the Safety and Prosperity of the King Now Laws are design'd to be as a Fence and Shield to men a Shield to secure their Persons from Wrong by Deceit or Violence a Fence to secure their Proprieties from any injurious Encroachment or Invasion by others For the rendring them more effectuall for this End Penalties are annext unto them in the Infliction whereof upon Transgressours stands the Execution of the Laws This Execution of Laws is properly an Act of Justice without which Laws become insignificant as being ineffectuall for the Restraint of men from those Insolencies and Exorbitancies whereby they become injurious to others and Disturbers of the Publick Peace Now Courts of Judicature are design'd for the Execution of Laws in the due Administration of Justice and Judgment And the Convention of many Persons authoriz'd by the Sovereign Power for this End cannot but rationally appear to be the most powerfull and effectual Means to restrain men from Vice and Sin to keep them within the Limits of the Law and so to promote the great End of Government the Publick Good the Kingdoms Peace For in such an Assembly of Judges and Magistrates such a Congregation of the Mighty such a Convention of the Gods all completely arm'd with Authority and Power for the Execution of Justice and Judgment there must needs appear so much Majesty as will cast an Awe upon the Spirits of men strike the Guilty with such a Terrour as may well make them tremble at the Bar and create such a Fear of offending in the Hearts of the innocent as may in all Reason restrain them from the Commission of those Crimes for which they see others condemn'd by the Sentence of the Judge and then punisht by the Hands of the Executioner For the Magistrate bears not the Sword in vain Rom. 13.4 for he is the Minister of GOD a Revenger to execute Wrath upon him that doth evil Now when the Laws are backt by Arms and many Persons are assembled together bearing the Ensigns of Authority and are attended by others bearing the Instruments of Justice we may reasonably conceive this will strike such a Terrour into the Minds of men and cast such an Awe upon those that are ill-inclin'd as to restrain them from injurious Exorbitancies and keep them within the Bounds of Law and Government This accumulated Strength of Justice will as a mighty Torrent bear down all Opposition and receive no Check by the Insolence of a bold Offendour nor be obstructed by a Multitude of Transgressours Thus Justice in a Collective Body of Judges will shine with brighter Majesty and strike with greater strength towards the beating down all the Monsters of rebellious Pride and enormous Power which shall dare to rise up against Law and Government Many Eyes see clearer than one and many Hands do with greater Force repell that Wrong and Violence by which Righteous Persons are too oft opprest And thus Guilt is more easily detected Innocence more certainly relieved and the Honour and Reverence due to Law and Government more effectually secur'd for the Publick Good Thus in the wisest Nations the best govern'd Kingdoms and Common Wealths such Courts of Judicature have bene constituted as have consisted of many Persons invested with Authority for the Administration of Justice The Jews a People whose Government was founded in the Authority and confirm'd by the Approbation of GOD Himself had their Sanhedrim * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5.22 Vide Gratii Annot. in hunt lotum their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Council vested with Judiciary Power consisting of Seventy Persons who were the Elders of Israel All the greater Cases of Law were decided by them and by their Sentence Capitall Punishments till their Power was abridg'd by the Romans were inflicted upon enormous Offendours Amongst these Seventy Judges there were two sate as the Chief Godw. Antiq. l. 5. c. 1. one who was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 NASI the Prince or L. Chief Justice and the other who was call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AB BETH DIN the Father of the Court or of the House of Judgment Now to their Sanhedrim answer our Assises †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Confessus Assessus Assists They are both Words of the same Import and Signification and there 's as great a Correspondency in the Things signify'd They both denote a Court of Judicature consisting of many Judges or Persons invested with Judiciary Power Such also was the Court of the Areopagites among the Athenians and the Senate of the Romans When there is but one Judge who sits alone in Judgment the guilty Offendour may hope either by his Gold or Greatness or by the Favour of Friends to sway him from a right Sentence but when many sit in Judgment tho'